The present invention broadly relates to armor-piercing projectiles and, more specifically, pertains to a new and improved construction of a projectile core or body for a sabot projectile.
Generally speaking, the new and improved construction of a projectile core or body for a sabot projectile comprises a projectile-core nose or tip, a projectile-core tail or tail portion and a projectile-core central or intermediate section which are connected with one another by means of a projectile-core rod or bolt. The projectile-core central or intermediate section is fabricated or formed of a relatively frangible or brittle tungsten.
As disclosed, for example, in European Pat. No. 0,051,375, published Jan. 11, 1989, it is known to use a frangible tungsten for a projectile core or body in which there is provided a bolt or shaft. In this known projectile core or body there is used for the tip as well as the bolt or shaft a pyrophoric material such as zirconium, titanium and alloys thereof. The projectile-body central or intermediate section comprises frangible tungsten or a frangible tungsten alloy having a compressive strength in excess of 15,000 kg/cm.sup.2 and a tensile strength of less than 800 kg/cm.sup.2.
Furthermore, an explosive body known, for example, from Swiss Pat. No. 305,149, published Apr. 16, 1955, possesses splitters embedded in a binding material or mass. The part or component containing the splitters is at least partially biased by an elastically tensioned tie or tension rod. This part or component containing the splitters is preferably a cylinder-shaped hollow body.
Furthermore, as disclosed, for example, in British Patent Application No. 2,113,810, pubIished Aug. 10, 1983, an armor-piercing penetrator projectile has a pre-penetrator part and a main penetrator part which are connected to each other by an axial connecting element such as a bolt or tie rod.
All these known projectiles have the disadvantage that, after penetrating or piercing a first armor plate of the target, they do not possess sufficient or adequate penetrating force to penetrate a second or even a third armor plate in the target.